


From Hell

by 0venm1tt



Series: Patch, New Hampshire [1]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Eventual Smut, F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-21
Updated: 2020-10-03
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:00:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 16,926
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26018425
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/0venm1tt/pseuds/0venm1tt
Summary: Some Blake/Yang fluff (eventually).Rating is for some heavy themes (abuse) and some smut.
Relationships: Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long
Series: Patch, New Hampshire [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1961833
Comments: 10
Kudos: 54





	1. Chapter 1

“The universe is shaped exactly like the earth, if you go straight long enough you end up where you were.”

The lyrics of Isaac Brock poured through the earbuds of Blake Belladonna. Shrill though the voice of Brock was, it was the only thing keeping the girl together. She sat in the passenger seat of a U-Haul on a cloudy June afternoon, her father driving them further up into the mountains. They, along with Blake’s mother, were moving from the southern Californian sun to the foggy mountains of Patch, New Hampshire. Blake had lived in Menagerie for all seventeen years of her life. However, she would always hear whispers of moving to New England for the prospect of better financial security. The move had been planned for the end of the summer, but a certain… incident had sped up the plans of the Belladonna family. No, Blake thought to herself. I’m not going to think about that. The only concern her parents had was the prospect of racism. They were Faunus, all of them sporting distinct cat-like features (in Blake’s case, a pair of feline ears topped her head, surrounded by long, wavy hair black as pitch. Her olive-skinned, pointed face bore no distinct expression as her narrow golden eyes darted back and forth habitually. Menagerie had been almost entirely populated by Faunus, and the opposite was true of Patch.

“Blake?”

The low, rumbling voice of Ghira Belladonna was audible over the music of Modest Mouse. He was a gigantic man, easily a foot taller than either Blake or her mother, Kali. Signs of aging were hidden behind a well-kept black beard, forming a sort of lion’s mane with his black hair, which was neatly swept back. An incredibly muscular physique was hidden behind a Slayer t-shirt, a relic of his teenage years. He spoke once more. “How are you holding up?”

Blake shrugged, taking her earbuds out. “Okay, I guess.”

“That’s good.” He paused for a moment. “I know that it’s difficult, leaving your friends behind, but there’s an entire summer to see if there’s anyone your age around town.”

A pang of guilt hit Blake hard in her gut. It wasn’t just when they left Menagerie that she had really abandoned her friends. No, a long, hellish ordeal had pushed them away months before then. And no matter what everybody told her, Blake couldn’t be convinced that it wasn’t partially her fault. Her arms folding over her black tank top, she said, “Hopefully.”

She didn’t know if that was truthful. On the one hand, it would be good for her to integrate among her peers, and she didn’t want to disappoint her parents. On the other, she didn’t want to push any new friends away. Perhaps it would be better in the long run to just bask in her own solitude.

“We’re here.”

The new Belladonna household was a small cottage, a gravel driveway occupied by Kali’s Sedan (she had flown up before her husband and daughter). Dewdrops twinkled as they clung to blades of emerald grass. Birch trees surrounded the property, as if Mother Nature herself had provided the family with a fence. As Blake and Ghira walked through the front door, they entered a cozy, carpeted living room complete with a fireplace and felt couches and armchairs surrounding an impeccably polished mahogany coffee table. Kali came out of another room and waved them in. “Hey, guys. Welcome home!” A genuine smile decorated her face, and her kind eyes wrinkled at their corners as if to betray the bags under them. Her head sported catlike ears much like her daughter’s. She pulled Blake into a hug, which she reciprocated.

Hours later, Blake sat on the bed in her new room. It was a small room, with a window looking out on the front yard. Having unpacked her copious collection of novels, she indulged in Don Quixote, an old favorite of hers. Glancing up, she saw two people walking on the lawn through the screen window. A knock on the door sounded out a moment later, and the door opened, inviting a cacophony of unfamiliar voices and the voices of her parents. Blake’s cat ears twitched involuntarily. She knew that eventually, meeting new people would be inevitable, but she had dearly hoped that at least a day or two would pass beforehand.

“Blake? Come here, please, we have visitors.” Kali’s voice called out. Taking a deep breath, Blake steeled herself and walked briskly into the living room. A man stood in the doorway. He was blonde and tan, a scruffy goatee adorning his chin underneath a toothy grin. He wore a leather jacket, as did the young woman standing behind him. She, too, was blonde, and her bushy hair hung down to her waist. A slight smirk was plastered on her pale, round face, and her lavender eyes seemed to exude confidence. Curiously, a large, off-color mark was present on her right forearm, seemingly without shape. The man said in a jubilant tone, “Hey, welcome to the neighborhood. Name’s Taiyang Xiao Long, nice to meet ya.” He extended his hand, which Blake tentatively shook.

The girl waved and said, “I’m Yang. How’s it going?” Her voice was even, but a hint of the same excitement as her father was clearly audible.

Blake shrugged. “About as well as it’ll ever go.”

Yang chuckled. “Fair enough. Hey, some friends and I are having a bonfire tonight. Feel free to stop by, it’ll be around 9. We live right up the road, can’t miss us.”

“‘Kay.” Blake slipped away back to her room. She had no intention of showing up. After all, attachments were only going to hurt her and whoever stood in the way of the firestorm that was her life. The only reasonable course of action was to change its path to a place of isolation.

Later that night, Blake continued to read alone in her room. The clock read 9:05, and the faint sounds of laughter could be heard from outside. A knock came from her door, and Kali came in. “Hey, are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” said Blake.

“Are you going to that bonfire?”

“I don’t know.”

Kali sighed. “Look, the reason we moved early was so that we could start fresh sooner. That Yang seemed nice, right?

Blake looked out the window. “I guess.”

“At the very least give her and her friends a chance. You don’t have to do it again if you don’t like it.”

“Fine.” Blake got up, putting on a pair of sandals. She would go after all, but only for long enough to make her mother happy. Walking up the road, the sound of laughter grew louder. It was cold out, and the wind was picking up. Regretting not bringing a sweater (among a host of other regrets and doubts), she knocked on the door of the only other house on the street. Taiyang opened the door, saying, 

“Hey, glad you could make it. They’re all out back.”

Blake nodded, and walked around the house to find a roaring fire surrounded by three teenagers, including Yang. She immediately noticed her, waving and calling out, “Blake! Have a seat!” She gestured to an unoccupied wooden lawn chair next to her. Turning to her friends, she said, “This is Blake, she just moved in.” A brunette with red streaks in her pixie cut, shining grey eyes, and an oversized red hoodie said, “Hi, I’m Ruby. I’m Yang’s sister.”

“Hi.” Blake spoke in a quiet tone, sitting next to Yang as she folded her arms. “I’m sorry if I interrupted anything.”

“Not at all,” said Yang, waving her arm dismissively. “We’re just waiting for Jaune to show up with the marshmallows.”

Blake nodded. Across the fire sat a girl with hair as white as snow pulled back into a ponytail. Her clothes and demeanor screamed power and prestige, and it felt as though her cold blue eyes pierced Blake’s own gaze and could read her soul. Scarily enough, Blake couldn’t tell whether or not she was being judged. The faunus shifted in her seat. God, coming here was a mistake. Yang and Ruby were talking about some video game and the girl across the fire didn’t seem to be all too friendly. Looking at her phone, it was still only 9:08. Shit, she thought. As if by some miracle, however, a car pulled in the driveway out front. The white-haired girl stood up, saying, “I’ve got half a mind to kill Jaune. He was supposed to be here an hour ago.”

Ruby stood up as well, chanting the word, “marshmallows,” and pumping her fist in the air as she followed the white-haired girl into the front yard. Yang turned to Blake. “Hey, I hope you’re doin’ alright. Don’t mind Weiss over there, she’s a bit scary but she’s not so bad.”

“I’m fine.” Blake did everything she could to avoid eye contact.

Yang stood up. “I’m gonna get some firewood. Walk with me.” Blake did so, and Yang said, “I hope I’m not making you uncomfortable.”

Blake, taken aback, said “N-no, it’s not that, it’s just… I don’t know.” This was a lie. She knew exactly why. Hell, Yang could probably tell. That was the funny thing about her; it was impossible to tell what she was thinking. Whatever was behind the lilac eyes of Yang Xiao Long was a complete mystery to Blake. If only the Faunus could be so unreadable.

Yang stopped, a few split logs in her arms. “Whatever it is, I’m always gonna be right up the road if you wanna talk about it.” She started walking back to the fire.

“You don’t have to do that.”

“Do what?”

“Offer to help.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’m glad to help if you want.” She dropped the firewood in the fire. “If it helps, whatever you tell me stays between us.” Both of them sat back down as Ruby and Weiss came around the corner of the house with a bag of marshmallows, metal sticks, and a scrawny blonde boy with freckles. “At the very least, I can give you my number. For whatever you want.”

Blake nodded, and added Yang’s number to her phone. It wasn’t that she felt like she couldn’t say no, but rather, she didn’t want to say no. Something about Yang made her feel okay, even when she knew that wasn’t the case. And besides, she clearly didn’t mind Blake’s company, and it might be worse to leave her new neighbor alone and immediately disappoint her than to run the risk of hurting her later on. For now, she would toast marshmallows and enjoy the company of her peers. From Yang teasing Jaune over his past romantic endeavors, Ruby teasing Weiss for being fussy, and the occasional flaming marshmallows, the joy derived from tonight permeated the night air like stars shining through the night sky.


	2. Chapter 2

Blake’s first couple of weeks in Patch didn’t exactly fly by, but she didn’t exactly mind that. Yang, Ruby, and Jaune had welcomed her into their group of friends without hesitation, and Blake had tentatively allowed herself to hang around them. They spent most of their time hanging around Yang’s place, walking around the woods or playing video games. While Blake herself never partook, it was entertaining to observe them playing and teasing each other (at one point, Yang had called Jaune a “filthy man-whore” over a game of Mario Kart). Of course, Ghira and Kali were relieved at their daughter’s socialization. When Blake came home from the bonfire on the first night, they had breathed an audible sigh of relief upon learning that Blake hadn’t hated the experience. And they were even more relieved when they learned that none of them had any sort of discomfort with Blake being a Faunus. They could only hope, however, that this would continue into the school year.

Having taken a tour around town with Yang and Ruby, Blake learned that their family owned a coffee shop called The Mountain Signal. They stopped inside to drop off Ruby (who worked there part-time), as well as get some drinks. The inside was bright and cheery with its yellow walls, and yet still subdued enough to not be overwhelming through intricate white patterns accentuating them. After getting their drinks, Yang and Blake sat in a booth in the back corner. Internally, Blake was happy to be away from the front windows. She preferred not to be seen if possible, and somehow she felt like Yang knew that. As Blake took a sip of her tea, Yang asked, “So, on the Fourth of July, Jaune and Weiss always sleep over at my place after fireworks. You wanna join in?” The left side of her face was in the palm of her hand, and a small smile was present on the half of her mouth that was visible.

“Yeah, sure.”

“Alright, cool. We also spend the day at the lake beforehand, if you’re interested.”

“The lake?”

“Yeah, the fireworks are down there anyways.”

“I don’t know. I… don’t really like water.” If only it was as simple as not liking water. No, being underwater reminded Blake of things she would rather leave behind, memories of degradation and   
suffocation.

Yang’s smile disappeared. “Oh. Well, if it helps, I don’t swim most of the time. Jaune and I usually fish if you’re interested.”

Blake shifted in her seat. “I guess that’s fine.”

The days until the Fourth of July flew by. By the time Blake got down to the lake to meet Yang, it was packed. Clearly, spending the day at the lake was a common tradition in Patch, accentuated by the perfect weather. A vivid blue sky held fluffy clouds the same color as Weiss’s hair, and the greens of the trees and grass looked all the brighter for it. All across the lakeside, children ran around chasing each other as parents hounded them about sunblock. Stands peddling food and beverages were being surrounded, and booths with rigged carnival games were being set up. Blake’s parents set up their lawn chairs on the grass, prompting Blake to find Yang and Jaune. Out of the crowd, Blake clearly heard someone shout, “Blake!” Ruby sat on a blanket with Weiss, and both of them waved her over. The Faunus still couldn’t shake the feeling that Weiss was judging her somehow, even through the white-haired girl’s sunglasses. As if to relieve the tension, Jaune ran up to them and said, “Hey, guys. I really think that today’s gonna be the day I win the ring toss game.”

Ruby snickered, and Weiss said, “You’ve said that every Fourth of July for the past twelve years.”

Jaune waved his hand dismissively. “C’mon, Weiss, I can’t possibly lose every year.”

“And you’ve said that every Fourth of July for the past five years.”

“Do you want to put money on it?”

Weiss lowered her aviator sunglasses to glare at Jaune. “You’re on. Twenty dollars says you won’t get it today.”

Ruby turned to Blake and said, “Oh, Yang’s by the docks. She’s waiting for you.”

Nodding, Blake went past the crowd of people to the docks. Yang was sitting on the edge of the docks, her bare feet submerged in water. She wore a dark blue baseball cap, a bright orange tank top, and jean shorts. Three fishing rods were tucked under her arm, and her disposition gave the impression that the sunlight didn’t end where her presence began. She stood up, saying, “Hey, what’s up?”

“Is Jaune coming with us?”

“I dunno, is he doing the ring toss thing?”

“Yeah, he made a bet with Weiss.”

“Well, fuck. We probably shouldn’t expect to see him again tonight.”

She hopped into a nearby rowboat, and motioned for Blake to do the same. Slowly, her legs became accustomed to the motion of the lake and she was able to sit down as Yang began to row out into the middle of the lake. They both cast their lines, and began to relax and enjoy the view. “Hey, Blake?”

“Yeah?”

“What do you think of Patch?”

“It’s not bad at all.”

“Glad to hear it. Y’know, comin’ out here really lets me forget my problems.”

“Like what?” It hit Blake that Yang had had the decency to not pry too hard into her anxieties. “Or-you don’t have to talk about it.” She cursed herself internally.

“Nah, it’s okay. The thing is, I have no idea what I want to do with my life. Everybody in my family has worked at the coffee shop, but I’m awful at brewing coffee and baking. Ruby’s not, though. She’s   
great at brewing and insane at baking. I’m not that great at anything I’ve tried, in all honesty.” She paused for a moment. “Ah, shit, didn’t mean to ramble.”

Blake didn’t know what to say. Everything that was going on in her life and she couldn’t even say anything to comfort the person who had shown her the most kindness in her new town? God, if only she weren’t so selfish. All she could think of was, “It’s not a problem. Keep going, if you want.” She made a mental note to help Yang in any way she could going forwards.

Yang opened her mouth, but quickly started reeling in her line. “Ooh, I’ve got a bite here.”

Blake nearly dropped her rod and turned around. “Is there anything I should do?”

Yang leaned back, the rod bending. “Not at the moment,” she said through gritted teeth. “Jesus, this thing is strong-oh shit!”

She leaned back further, and everything on the boat shifted to the side. Unfortunately, this included Blake, who began to inch closer to the water. Her breathing began to speed up, and as her balance began failing her, she fell in. All of a sudden, Patch seemed to be thousands of miles away. She was back in Menagerie, in a bathroom on her knees looking at a full bathtub. Her face and arms hurt like hell, and her wrist looked like a bruise was forming. Pressure was abruptly put on the back of her neck, and her face was in the water not a moment later. The air left her lungs at an incredible speed, and she was lifted up by the collar of her shirt. In the reflection of the water, she could see the vague shape of a man with red hair. A gruff voice shouted out, “I could kill you right now if I wanted to!” His voice dropped to a low growl as she gasped for air. “Just a few more seconds under there is all it would take, Blake.”

“Blake?!”

She opened her eyes. Yang was looking at her, soaking wet and with worry written across her face. “Are you okay? You were shaking something awful…”

The Faunus sat up, bringing her knees to her chest as she shook uncontrollably. “No. I’m really not okay.”

Yang put an arm around her. “I’m really sorry, Blake. I shouldn’t have brought you out here knowing that you have a problem with water.” Her voice was quiet, and her arm was warm.

In a quivering, raspy voice barely above a whisper, Blake said, “It’s not your fault.”

“Is there anything you need?”

“I think I owe you an explanation.”

“You don’t need to do that if you don’t want to.”

“No, it’s okay.” Blake unfurled her legs, and Yang pulled her into a full hug. Though both were drenched from head to toe, Blake felt warm. She took a deep breath, and confessed, “Back in Menagerie, a couple of years ago, I got into a really bad relationship with this guy, Adam. There’s a lot to it, but one of the things he would do is hold my head underwater.” She couldn’t see Yang, but Blake could feel the blonde’s arms hold her tighter, her fists clenching in and out. “It got really bad a couple of months ago. He stabbed me.” She lifted her shirt to expose her midriff, revealing an angry, vertical crimson line to the left of her belly button. “At that point, my parents found out about the whole thing, which is why we moved here. He’s wanted by the police, but he got away.”

“Blake…” Yang murmured, her voice staying even, though her upset nature was clear.

Blake continued. “I’m sorry, Yang. I’ve ruined the afternoon.” A single tear ran down her face.

Yang hugged her once more. “Don’t say that, dude.”

“Why not? My own selfishness has caused this fishing trip to be a disaster.”

“Blake, you’re not selfish at all. You’ve been through hell, and it’s totally fine to just let it all out. I’m here whenever you need someone to talk to, no matter what.”

Blake didn’t say anything in return, but instead hugged her friend back. She wasn’t sure if it was true that she wasn’t selfish, but if Yang didn’t think so, she saw no reason to doubt her. At the very least, she could honestly say that she felt better. As much as she loved her parents, it was nice to let someone else in for a change. When their embrace broke, Yang began rowing them back to shore. To the shock of the both of them, Jaune had finally won at the ring toss game, leaving Weiss in a state of disgruntled surprise. A quick drive to their homes to change into dry clothes later, the fireworks were nearly ready. With his twenty dollars from the bet, Jaune had brought the entire group cotton candy, which they readily ate as the sky lit up with multicolored sparks and the gentle night was pierced by the loud noises of pyrotechnics. Though the day had hardly been perfect, it was still incredible to Blake that the night’s festivities had yet to end.


	3. Chapter 3

“Okay, would you rather change genders every time you sneeze or not be able to tell the difference between a muffin and a baby?” proposed Jaune, to the group. He sat in an armchair opposite Weiss, as Ruby, Yang, and Blake shared a couch, the furniture forming a semicircle around a coffee table not unlike the one in Blake’s house. A solitary lamp gave off a soft yellow light, making the dark wooden walls glow with a comforting aura. A Bluetooth speaker was softly playing Ween’s ‘The Mollusk,’ providing an impeccable backdrop to the scene of five friends talking the night away on the Fourth of July.

Yang rubbed her chin. “Depends. Do we also swap parts every time we sneeze?”

“Yes. Your whole appearance changes when you sneeze.”

“I’ll take the muffin-baby thing. It’s way less complicated.”

Ruby spoke up. “What about baby animals? Do they also look like muffins?”

After a moment of contemplation, Jaune said, “No, they wouldn’t change.”

“Alright, I’m going with the muffin-baby thing.”

Blake nodded. “Same.”

“Hey, Weiss, what about you?” asked Yang. Weiss had a look of abject disgust on her face, and Yang laughed. “C’mon, Princess, it’s just a question.”

“You people are insane.” Weiss shook her head, her tone distinctly annoyed, but Blake was sure that she had almost picked up a hint of amusement in the grouch’s voice. Perhaps she wasn’t so judgmental after all.

Later that evening, the group had turned to watching Fight Club. It was a movie that Blake had seen before, and around the part where the narrator’s apartment burned down, her mind began to wander elsewhere. Specifically, she had begun to think of the events preceding the fireworks display. Why had losing consciousness and reliving one of the most painful and humiliating days of her life not been more of a detriment to her current mood? The answer, of course, was Yang. Something about admitting to herself that it was Yang’s help felt strange to Blake, however. Perhaps the problem was simply receiving help at all? After all, the original plan upon moving to Patch was to avoid everyone for fear of hurting them. But everything was different in practice. Yang and the others were fun to hang around, and the blonde hadn’t expressed any resentment towards her or her actions. All of a sudden, the answer hit her like a truck; she had forgotten to thank Yang. Glancing briefly to her left, Yang sat next to her with a neutral expression. The light of her phone cast a soft glow upon her face, and strands of her bushy hair cast sparse shadows across her face which danced as her head moved imperceptibly. Blake took out her phone and sent a text message, which read, “Hey, I want to thank you for all that you did earlier.”

Blake’s heart skipped a beat when a moment later, a text from Yang appeared in her notifications, which said “no problem! i hope you’re feeling better :)”

Immediately, the faunus responded by typing, “I am. All I ask is that you not tell anybody.”

Yang’s next text read, “of course dude,” and a subsequent one read “btw its really brave of you to come forward about it”

Blake exhaled. She hadn’t realized that she was holding her breath, but it felt as if a weight had been lifted off her back. Realizing that Yang had probably noticed, she looked over, praying that the poor lighting concealed her embarrassment. She whispered as quietly as she could, “Thank you.”

Dimples formed in Yang’s cheeks as she smiled, and she gave a thumbs up to Blake. Blake returned both the smile and the thumbs up, albeit with a bit of hesitation and awkwardness. Yang shifted over to the side until her right arm gently pressed against Blake’s left arm. The cat ears atop the faunus’s head twitched, and she resolved to look into ways to prevent herself from blushing for future reference. The two of them stayed that way until the end of the movie, at which point both Weiss and Ruby had fallen fast asleep. Not wanting to move either one of them, Blake, Jaune and Yang moved to the kitchen to discuss the terms of sleeping arrangements. Yang said, “So, there’s a guest bed and there’s Ruby’s bed. Who’s going for what here?”

“Will Ruby mind someone else sleeping in her bed?” asked Jaune.

“Nah, this has happened before. Oh, Blake, fair warning, Ruby’s bed is in my room.”

“In that case, it’s probably best that you decide who sleeps where,” stated Blake.

“Yeah, I guess. I’d rather sleep with you, Blake.” She gave an exaggerated wink and snapped her fingers as both Jaune and Blake groaned. “No offense, Jaune, but she’s the cat’s pajamas.” They groaned again, louder this time as Yang chuckled at her own pun, slapping her knee in mock hysterics.

“None taken,” said Jaune, as he rolled his eyes before sauntering off to the guest room.

As she laid in bed, Blake’s mind wandered as Yang snored away on the other side of the room. Yang’s side was disheveled, but there was still a neatness to it all. Posters of various movies and bands hung on the wall, and an acoustic guitar sat in the corner of the room. Though Ruby, Weiss, and Jaune were fun, the time she had spent with Yang gave her hope like there was a chance at leading a happy life. Everything Adam had done to her finally felt like the past, rather than a constant figure looming over her. All of a sudden, a dangerous realization came to Blake. She racked her brain, trying to find a way around it, but there was nothing. Her first instinct was to panic, but there was another part of her that desired to embrace this new awareness of her person (and her sexuality). And the more she thought about it, the more unavoidable and appealing it seemed.

She had romantic feelings for Yang Xiao Long.

“God damn it,” she whispered out loud to nobody.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The fluff draws nearer.
> 
> Also, any feedback is greatly appreciated. Thank you all for reading!


	4. Chapter 4

About a week had passed since the Fourth of July. The more Blake thought about Yang, the more conflicted she became. The thing that held her back from just asking her crush out was, of course, her past. It wasn’t necessarily that she didn’t feel ready to enter another relationship, far from it. Yang was certainly her type, and the time they spent together made Blake feel like she wouldn’t only have a romantic partner, but a close friend. The issue was that Adam, too, had appeared to be a good man at first. His passion for Faunus rights and activism had drawn Blake to him, especially as he began gaining mainstream attention. Yang was different in a way, though. Adam had been aggressive towards everyone except Blake at the start, and eventually his aggression spilled over and she became his favorite target. The only time Yang had ever really been angry in Blake’s presence was when she had described what Adam had done to her. Even when she cursed at and teased her friends, everybody was laughing and enjoying themselves. Adam was aggressive because he wanted control, and when he belittled others and made them out to be inferior to him, he could get it.

“Blake?”

Kali was talking to her. The Belladonnas were hosting a neighborhood barbecue, and they had invited Yang’s family, as well as Jaune and Weiss. Birds chirped as the sound of rustling leaves blended with the wind’s gentle whisper. Though steel-grey clouds hung in the sky presented the threat of a rainy night, the telltale warmth of a summer afternoon persisted (unfortunately, so did the humidity). Kali and Blake were talking with Taiyang and Weiss about school, while Ghira and Ruby cooked various meats on a charcoal grill and Jaune and Yang played a casual game of volleyball, laughing every time they scored points. “Hm?”

“Taiyang asked if you had a major in mind.”

“Oh, um, literature, I suppose?”

Taiyang nodded. “Cool.” Weiss squinted her eyes, and Blake walked away somewhat hurriedly. The white-haired girl followed her, and said in a low voice, “Blake, we need to talk.”

A spike of anxiety pierced her. Though the two of them were always cordial to one another, the feeling of being scrutinized by Weiss had never really disappeared from Blake’s mind, it had only shrank. But now, there was no trace of amusement or jesting in her pale blue eyes. There was only a stern determination, shining with the energy of a thousand stars. Even her clothing screamed purposefulness. Compared to everyone else, who had dressed as casually as one might expect for a neighborhood cookout, she wore an expensive-looking white jacket with a matching pencil skirt. She spoke again, her voice quiet. “Look, I can tell that you like Yang.”

Nothing could have prepared Blake for such a statement, and she blushed. Before she could respond, Weiss continued, looking over her shoulder. “I actually dated her for a while about a year ago.”

Blake blinked repeatedly, having been completely caught off guard. “So, what are you getting at?” Suddenly, a small wave of relief hit her at the same time as the realization that Yang was attracted to girls.

Weiss’s expression remained unchanged. “I have good news and bad news. The good news is that I’m about 99 percent sure that she likes you back. She looks at you the same way she looked at me when we were together.” Internally, Blake celebrated. She didn’t even recognize her fear of rejection until she knew it wasn’t a significant risk. However, she knew better than to be too optimistic, especially considering that there was bad news right around the corner. Mentally preparing herself, Blake asked, “What’s the bad news?

Weiss took a deep breath, looking over her shoulder at Yang and Jaune, who had moved over closer to the grill. She whispered, “Yang has some serious attachment problems. I don’t know the details, but every time I asked if anything was wrong, I did notice that she would turn the scar on her arm away from me.”

Blake looked over at Yang. As the blonde ruffled her sister’s hair, the mark on the inside of her right forearm was as red as ever. Somehow, the idea of it being a scar had never crossed her mind, but now that the idea was in place, there was no other possibility the Faunus could imagine. The shape of the wound, though, was still indeterminable. Turning back to Weiss, she crossed her arms. “So, you’re saying that I shouldn’t ask her out?”

“I’m not saying that you should do anything. Except to remember what I’ve told you.”

At that moment, Ruby called out, “Food’s ready!” in a chirpy, excited tone. Everybody went inside to eat, as a few sparse raindrops had already fallen before the food was ready, and mere moments after everybody had found a seat, a booming thunderclap reverberated through the suburban soundscape. Blake sat once more on the couch next to Yang, and Weiss sat in a nearby chair. Knowing what she knew now, it was hard not to feel sorry for the blonde. Blake wanted to hold Yang and let her vent in her arms, like she had done for her on the lake. However, that wasn’t necessarily an option. Blake knew from experience that being treated as if she were fragile was likely to be endlessly frustrating to Yang. No, this would have to be handled with more tact and patience. At the moment, Yang was teasing Weiss over her reaction to her chicken wing sauce. “C’mon, Princess, it’s not that hot.”

Weiss through a gasp, strained to say, “I can feel every taste bud on my tongue dying slowly.”

Yang, chuckling, turned to Blake as Weiss dashed off to the kitchen for water. “It’s habaneros and fresnos. My own recipe. Wanna try it?”

“I’ll pass.” Blake had never been one for spicy food, but that was far from what was on her mind. She and Yang were alone in the living room. Now was certainly the most opportune time to ask her out on a date, as texting her the question didn’t seem right to Blake. Pushing aside every doubt she had in her mind, she breathed in deeply before quietly asking, “Yang? Um, do you want to go out sometime?” God, she wished she weren’t blushing.

“Like, on a date?”

“Y-yeah.”

Yang paused briefly, and the sounds of the kitchen faucet being turned on and people laughing punctuated the silence. She smiled brightly, exclaiming, “Sounds great!”

Blake exhaled. Relief spread from her chest to the rest of her entire body, and she grinned involuntarily as her blush faded.

Yang continued, still smiling. “I know a really great spot in the mountains. We could picnic there if you want.”

“God, that sounds so great.” A new worry occurred to Blake, interrupting her elation. What if her parents had a problem with her getting into a new relationship? As they had seen, her only other relationship ended with her on life support and an ongoing manhunt. Even though they did like Yang, that was liable to change along with the status of their relationship. But as Yang weaved her fingers between Blake’s own, that worry seemed to dissipate. Blake gently squeezed Yang’s hand. Life was starting to look okay once more.


	5. Chapter 5

Today was the day.

By the time Blake got up, both of her parents had left for work. A text from Yang read, “hey, see you at 3 ;)” Their plan was simple: head up to the spot in the mountains at around three in the afternoon, and figure out the rest of the day as they went along. After she had eaten breakfast, Blake’s phone vibrated. Yang had texted her again, saying, “btw bring a jacket it’s cold in the mountains.” She texted back, “Good to know.”

She looked at the clock, which revealed that it would be hours until it was time to leave. Blake chose to pass the time the only way she knew how: reading and listening to music. Katy Song by Red House Painters would be the song, and Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged would be the book. Being apolitical, the controversial nature of the novel mattered very little to the Faunus. The themes of freedom and the pursuit of happiness, however, did matter, and they served as the main draw of the book to her. Perhaps that was what drew her to Yang as well. Everything Yang did seemed to be based around enjoying her time on Earth, and Blake had a great deal of respect for that. The familiarity of Atlas Shrugged and the transcendent acoustic guitars of Red House Painters allowed Blake to relax, rather than worrying about her upcoming date. Even though Yang was a calming presence, it would be a lie to say that Blake wasn’t anxious with anticipation. Eventually, she grabbed a plain grey hoodie and put her hair in a bun before resigning herself to pacing around her living room, waiting for the clock to strike three.

A knock on the door nearly made Blake jump out of her skin. Not that it was startling, but the fact remained that her nerves had indeed gotten to her. She opened it, and Yang stood there. Her hair was in a ponytail, and a latticed picnic basket was clutched in her right hand. Between her leather jacket, torn jeans, and hiking boots, she looked unequivocally cool (besides already being beautiful). “Hey. Ready to go?” A smirk decorated her face, and Blake suddenly felt slightly inadequate. How had she thought she had had a chance with Yang Xiao Long? Resolving to answer that question to herself later, she said, “Yeah. You look… fucking great.” She could hardly stop herself from smiling.

Yang laughed. “Thanks, so do you. Shall we?” She offered her hand, and a blushing Blake readily took it as they walked to the blonde’s car.

The mountains of Patch were gorgeous. A delightful tapestry of birch, fir, and spruce leaves blotted out the sky, leaving beams of sunlight to paint a mosaic of shadows upon the ground. A well-worn dirt path led the pair to a wide open, rocky space that gave a view of the surrounding mountain range, and it was breathtaking. The woods painted the mountains a myriad of shades of green, and the peaks formed a jagged line separating the ground from the clear blue sky. Yang turned to Blake. “Pretty cool, huh? I used to go camping with my family all the time up here.”

“It’s beautiful.”

“Yeah. It’s a little hard to focus on it with someone even prettier right here.” Yang smirked at Blake.

Blake rolled her eyes, a small smile forming. Waving her hand, she said, “Oh, please. You’re too kind.”

Yang rolled out a blanket and sat down. “It’s true, dude.”

Blake chuckled as she sat next to Yang. “You are actually quite beautiful, though.”

Yang smiled wordlessly. Her dimples and eyes made Blake feel at ease, eliminating the anxiety that had plagued her earlier in the afternoon. In the basket was an impressive array of food, ranging from sandwiches and wraps to an entire blueberry pie. “Looks pretty good,” said Blake.

“Yeah, Ruby helped me with a lot of it. She’s way better than me at cooking.”

Blake nodded. She remembered that Yang had told her once about how she felt like she wasn’t good at anything and how she didn’t know what to do with her life. Surely, now would be a decent time to extend a helping hand. She said, “I remember you once told me that you didn’t feel like you knew where you were going with your life.”

Yang swallowed a bite of a sandwich. “I might have an idea. You gotta promise not to laugh, though.”

“I won’t.”

“I kinda wanna be a teacher.”

Blake laughed. As Yang crossed her arms in mock irritation, the Faunus said “I’m not laughing because it’s a bad idea. It’s not a bad idea at all. Honestly, you’d make a great teacher.”

“Hey, thanks, dude. That means a lot.”

“Anytime, Yang.”

The two finished eating in relative silence. Blake said, “It’s still daylight. What else can we do?”

The blonde undid her ponytail, letting her hair cover her upper back. She took a deep breath, and asked, “Do you want to cuddle? It’s totally fine if you don’t want to.”

“S-sure.” Blake’s heartbeat accelerated. God, everything was going so well. As Yang laid down on the blanket on her side, the Faunus slowly laid down next to her, putting an arm around her midsection as she put her head underneath Yang’s chin. Not wanting to stop talking to the blonde, she murmured, “I saw the guitar in your room a while back. Do you play?”

“Yeah. What kind of music are you into?” Yang’s voice was also kept low.

“Mostly acoustic stuff. What about you?”

“A little of everything, but mostly hardcore punk and thrash metal.”

“My dad really likes metal. Especially Slayer.”

Though she couldn’t see, she could tell that Yang had smirked. “Your dad is pretty cool.”

Blake adjusted her shoulders. “He’s alright. Speaking of my parents, is it okay that we not tell them about this for a little while?”

“Of course, dude.”

“Okay, great. They’re a little on edge about relationships right now.”

“I get that. You know that I’d never hurt you, right?”

“I kinda gathered.”

Yang smiled again. “Hey, I have a weird question. Can I touch your ears?”

Blake was taken by surprise. “Like, my cat ears?”

“Yeah. Again, it’s one hundred percent fine if you don’t want me to.”

After considering it for a moment, Blake said, “It’s okay. Go ahead, but be gentle. They’re quite sensitive.”

Yang’s arm moved from Blake’s back, and after a brief moment, a fingertip touched the tip of one of her cat ears. They twitched, and as Yang jerked her hand back, Blake said, “Don’t worry about that. I’m still okay.” She felt the sensation of the back of her ears being rubbed, and sighed happily. “God, I’m not used to that.”

“Should I stop?”

“No, that’s not what I meant. One of the things my ex would do was pull on them, and it hurt like hell. I’m not used to people being gentle with them.”

Yang tensed. “I’ll kill him. If I ever meet him, I’ll kill him.”

Blake rubbed her back. “You don’t need to do that.”

“Maybe not. But you deserve so, so much better than that.”

“You’re leagues better already.”

“So, is that a yes to a second date?”

Blake laughed. “Definitely.”

The pair of them laid there for what could have been anywhere from a few minutes to years. Eventually, though, the sun began to set, signaling the time to return home. On the way, Blake abruptly stated, “I really don’t want today to end.”

“Me neither, dude. We’ll see each other again, though.”

“I know.” They pulled up into Blake’s driveway, and before she got out of the car, Yang leaned over and kissed the Faunus’s cheek. Blushing furiously, Blake leaned over and kissed her back before going inside. Going straight to her room, she laid on her bed and stared at her ceiling. This was one of the best days she had had in years, and a Modest Mouse lyric kept repeating in her head.

“In this life that we call home, the years go fast and the days go so slow.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *siren noises*
> 
> THE FLUFF HAS ARRIVED. I REPEAT, THE FLUFF HAS ARRIVED.
> 
> *siren noises end*


	6. Chapter 6

The next few weeks progressed in a sort of routine. Blake and Yang would hang out with Ruby, Jaune, and/or Weiss for an afternoon, and then congregate alone somewhere more secluded. So far, they had only been found out by Ruby, who, aside from agreeing to keep their secret under wraps, expressed her happiness for the pair. Hell, she had even agreed to let them cuddle in the room she shared with Yang (under the provision that they “behaved”). And the shared room of the sisters was where the new couple currently laid, tucked under a sheet on Yang’s bed. August would soon turn to September, and their senior year of high school drew ever closer. Even just stepping outside, a chill hung in the air and a handful of leaves were beginning to lose their lustrous green shades in favor of warmer colors. Looking at Yang’s nightstand, Blake could see several pieces of jewelry, which was strange, considering that Yang never wore it. Keeping her voice low to maintain the peaceful atmosphere, she asked, “Hey, what’s with the jewelry?”

“Hm? Oh, I made it. I kinda like working with metal.”

Blake picked up a ring. Upon closer inspection, it appeared to be made of steel, with an intricate pattern etched into it not entirely dissimilar to creeping vines. “This is really nice work,” she said, tracing a finger along the outside.

“You can keep it if you want.” Yang’s voice was laced with sincerity, and she closed Blake’s fingers around the ring in the palm of her hand. The Faunus wrapped her arm around Yang’s waist, sliding the ring onto her finger. She felt content with the way her life was going. It wasn’t that she wasn’t still anxious and full of self-doubt, because she was. Every time she did or said anything, a little voice in the back of her head still told her it was wrong, and that she was stupid for hurting people she cared about. However, it didn’t feel as noteworthy as it was some two months earlier. As long as Yang didn’t mind her shortcomings, that was enough for Blake to keep on going. She hoped that her affection would be enough for the blonde, and if the kiss she felt between her cat ears was anything to go by, it would indeed suffice.

Something still irked Blake, though. If Ruby found out about them so easily, surely her parents wouldn’t be far behind. It was beginning to look like the only way around such a confrontation would be to come forward and tell them outright. Burying her face in Yang’s neck, she said, “Babe, I think we need to tell my parents about us. We can’t keep the secret up much longer.”

“You’re probably right. Besides, I’ve met your parents. I don’t think they hate me.”

“That might change fairly soon.”

Yang chuckled softly. “It’ll be okay. I’ve got a good feeling about this.”

Blake looked at her phone. “It’s getting late. My parents are going to start asking questions soon.”

“C’mon, dude. Five more minutes.”

The bedroom door opened, and Ruby poked her head in. “Everything PG-13 in here?”

“Relax, Rubes. She’s going home in a few minutes.”

Ruby pointed at her squinting eyes and then at Yang before slipping away.

At home, Blake sat on her bed, her leg bouncing with worry. Her parents were in the other room, and once their show was done, she would tell them about Yang. She absentmindedly fiddled with the ring on her finger, trying not to imagine all of the scenarios where this could go wrong. Her phone vibrated, and a text from Yang said, “did you tell them yet?” As if to spite her, the noise from the television stopped. Gulping, Blake replied. “I’m going to right now. Wish me luck.” Another text message from Yang read, “you got this babe :)”

That was all the encouragement she needed. Walking into the living room, she said, “Mom? Can we talk for a second?”

Kali turned to her. “Sure. Is anything wrong?”

“No, it’s kind of the opposite.” At this, Ghira raised an eyebrow. Breathing deeply, Blake continued. “You know Yang?”

“Mhm…”

“I think I’m bisexual or something, because we went on a few dates and it’s just been fantastic so far.”

Kali’s face immediately became wrought with concern. “I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself, but wasn’t that how everything started with Adam?”

Blake’s eyes narrowed. “She’s nothing like Adam. The only time I’ve ever seen her angry is when I told her about him.”

Kali sighed, rubbing her eyes. “Even besides, don’t you think that it’s a little soon to start dating again?”

“I thought that, too, until I met her.”

“How about we invite her over for dinner tomorrow? Just to get to know her a little better.”

“Fine.” As she walked away, she could hear her parents talking to each other. Once she was in the security of her own room, she took out her phone and texted Yang. “They’re skeptical, but they invited  
you to dinner tomorrow.”

She received a reply in a few minutes. “that’s ok with me. this is gonna work.”

Blake got underneath her covers. “Yang, I really like you a lot. I’m sorry if this is weird or out of nowhere, but I feel like this relationship should last,” was the message she sent. Immediately, she regretted it, clenching her fists. How could she have thought that wouldn’t be an awkward message? How could she put Yang on the spot like that? Another message from the blonde appeared, and before she read it, Blake began holding her breath involuntarily. It said, “aw blake i really like you too. i’d be down with making us last a while :)” Another one immediately followed. “i’m going to bed. sleep well babe."

Blake exhaled. “I hope you have pleasant dreams,” was the message she sent in return.

The next evening, Blake passed the time before Yang’s arrival by pacing around her bedroom endlessly. Her parents were in the kitchen, and she could hear them bustling about and talking in somewhat hushed voices. As Yang walked onto the lawn, Blake slipped outside and met her before she came in. Her hair was down, and she wore a Slayer t-shirt and jeans. “Hey there, cutie,” she said, her voice exuding confidence, putting the Faunus slightly less on edge. Blake took her hands. “Remember, just act natural, but not too natural.” Memories of Yang calling Jaune words that were not repeatable in print over video games came to mind.

Yang nodded. “Alright, I think I got this. Let’s go.” She kissed Blake’s forehead before walking inside, saying “Just for luck,” as she looked over her shoulder.

The dinner table was moderately awkward, as everybody ate in silence. The youngest Belladonna couldn’t help but notice that nobody seemed to dare change their expression from a neutral state. 

Eventually, Kali asked, “So, Yang, do you have any ideas about where you’re going for college?”

Yang shrugged. “Maybe Beacon University? I’ve heard they’re good.”

Kali nodded. “Oh, that sounds nice.”

“In all honesty, I’m not that great at school outside of math and metal shop.”

“Metal shop?”

“Yeah, I like metalworking a lot. It just makes sense to me, I guess.”

Blake spoke up, holding out her right hand. “She actually made this ring here.”

Kali looked straight at Yang, and she said, in a deadpan tone, “Isn’t it a little early for you to be putting a ring on my daughter’s finger?”

Yang took a long drink of water as Blake covered her face in her hands, exclaiming, “Mom! It’s just a gift!”

“I know, dear. I’m joking.” Yang was silently laughing, her face filled with mirth, her father looked mortified, and her mother was smirking as well. “You can relax, by the way. I like her already,” she said,  
now looking straight at Ghira. “Oh, come on, darling. Blake was right, she’s not like Adam in the slightest.”

Ghira sighed. “Yes, I suppose you’re right.”

Yang looked at him, her trademark half-smile decorating her face. “So, you like Slayer, right?”

The rest of the evening went by without a hitch. Yang had managed to restrain herself from being excessively crude, and had had a long conversation with Ghira about thrash metal in the modern era. Blake’s parents agreed to allow their daughter to sleep over at Yang’s house for the night (albeit with some degree of reluctance). They would sleep in the guest room, in the same bed for the first time. Blake laid there on top of the covers facing the door, dressed in a light grey yukata. God, she hoped that she didn't look too ugly. The door opened, and Yang appeared, clad in a bright orange tank top and black shorts. Shutting the door and laying down next to Blake, her violet eyes and round face practically glowed with life and contentedness. The Faunus moved over, so that their foreheads and noses touched. Yang spoke in a quiet voice, “I’m so happy right now, Blake.”

“Me too, Yang.” Blake slowly moved closer, and kissed Yang’s lips. The blonde’s arms wrapped around her, and the kiss was returned. Everything about her was so very warm, and her lips were so soft and full. At the same time, they took a chance on opening their mouths and inviting each other's tongues in, and they readily accepted each other's summons. When they broke apart, Yang said, “I don’t ever want to stop doing that.”

"Me neither, babe."

Yang slowly moved her hand to Blake's right breast, and she moved it away. "I... don't think I'm ready to go any further just yet."

The blonde's smile didn't fade. "That's okay with me, babe." Blake moved her head to underneath Yang's chin, and nuzzled her neck before asking, “Yang? Are we girlfriends?”

“Of course, dude.” They pulled each other close, entwining their limbs before turning off the lights and burying themselves under a pile of blankets. Between the covers and Yang holding her, there was hardly an ounce of cold in Blake's body, and the steady rhythm of her girlfriend's heartbeat and breathing provided the world's most gentle lullaby (in spite of the blonde's loud snoring). The last thing that Blake remembered before falling into a deep slumber was another kiss on top of her head.


	7. Chapter 7

Blake awoke to a sudden, jerky motion. Though the comfort and warmth of the blankets remained, Yang was in a state of clear distress. She tossed around, her head swiveling violently. Fear and panic ran through Blake’s entire nervous system. She gently lifted up her girlfriend’s head and upper torso, and she woke up, shooting into an upright position and breathing rapidly, almost to the point of hyperventilating. Blake turned on the light and immediately hugged Yang, rubbing her back in a slow, vertical motion. “It’s okay, Yang. I’m right here.” She did everything she could to keep her voice soothing, in the hopes that Yang would calm down. Eventually, her breathing slowed to a normal speed, even if it was more than a little shaky. Yang hugged her, but it wasn’t like the other times, where it was a clear gesture of affection. No, it was as if she was clinging on for dear life. Blake adjusted herself so that Yang’s head was on her shoulder, and she pulled the covers back over them in hopes that it would help. What had happened to her girlfriend?

“Yang? What’s going on?” Blake did her best to keep quiet, as it was four in the morning.

“I’m so sorry, Blake. I didn’t mean to wake you up…” Yang’s voice was ragged. Given the exuberance that she normally exerted, this was shocking to Blake, and she wanted nothing more than for her girlfriend to be alright.

“It’s okay, babe. I’m not mad at you.”

Yang breathed in deeply. “I get nightmares like this every now and again. I usually just deal with it on my own, but I’m so glad you’re here.”

Blake started stroking Yang’s hair. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“I don’t really want to, but I think I need to.”

“Take as much time as you need, hon.”  
Yang sat there in silence for a minute, and then began. “So, Ruby and I are actually only half-sisters. My biological mom… I don’t remember her that well, but she was awful. I do remember that. She would constantly hurt me for anything I did wrong, and sometimes just because she felt like it. That’s actually where the scar on my arm is from. When I was two, I don’t remember what I did, but I do remember that she was pissed enough to take an iron to my arm.”

Blake’s heart sank as she held Yang a bit tighter. How could somebody do this to someone so kind, especially a toddler? “Oh, Yang…”

Yang burst into tears. “God, I’m such a terrible girlfriend.”

“No, babe, you’ve been so wonderful.”

Yang looked into Blake’s eyes. Her eyes were bloodshot, and Blake’s heart broke a little. Surely, someone as lovely as Yang deserved better. Through tears, she said, “I’m awful. From the beginning, I’ve been awful. I shouldn’t have taken you on the lake when you have a problem with water. I shouldn’t have touched you so much without asking before we were even together. I shouldn’t have tried to touch your tits earlier without at least asking. I shouldn’t have woken you up. I’m so bad. You deserve better.”

Blake clutched Yang close as she buried her face into her neck. “No, baby, none of that was a problem. Like, when I did fall in the water, you were there to help me afterwards, and I couldn’t have asked for more help than you gave me. I liked it when you touched me, and it helped me realize that I like you. And as far touching my breasts goes, I wasn’t uncomfortable or anything. I just want to wait a little bit longer, is all. It was still the best kiss I’ve had in… well, ever.” Yang’s breathing became steadier. “You haven’t ever hurt me, and I trust that you won’t.”

“You’re right, babe. I promise that I'll never hurt you.” They stayed like that for a few minutes, and Yang returned to a regular breathing pattern as the tension in her body melted away. The Faunus began to relax as well, as it looked like Yang was going to be okay for the time being, and Blake resolved to always be there if she wasn’t. Gently, Blake took the blonde’s hand and moved it to her cat ears, and Yang accepted the offer, rubbing the back of them with her fingers. “I can’t believe how soft they are, dude.”

“It feels really nice when you do this.”

“I’m glad to hear that. Thank you so much, Blake. You’re basically an angel.”

“Yang?”

“Yeah?

“I know this is kinda sudden and maybe not the best time, but… I love you. When I moved here, I was just at the worst point I’ve ever been in my life. You showed me that I can move forwards, and it’s one of the reasons I feel confident in saying that I’m in love with you.”

A pause followed this. Had it been any other time of day, Blake would have never said that. But something about 4:30 in the morning just made one’s feelings come to the surface. Apparently, Yang had the same lack of reservations as her lover. She said, “I feel like I’m gonna cry again, but I’m happy this time. I love you too. I’ve never felt this way about anybody…” A smile was painted across her face, and the dimples that Blake had grown to love were present alongside the confident gleam in Yang’s eyes. The two leaned in, and kissed each other’s lips again. This time, they silently resolved not to break it for a longer period of time, relishing in exploring each other’s mouths, their tongues delicately dancing with each other. Only when they became short of breath did they pull away, and they immediately went right back to cuddling. Yang took out her phone, and nudged Blake, indicating that she would be taking a picture. It came out as an image of the new couple, happy as could be in each others’ company.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one's saucy, fellas. Don't say you weren't warned.

“What the fuck is wrong with Miss Fall, giving us homework on the first day?”

Yang posed this question to Blake, Jaune, and Weiss, through a bite of sandwich. Nobody raised their heads, and Blake turned a page in the book she was reading. It was the lunch period at school, and the four friends sat in the back corner of the cafeteria. Weiss was the first to answer, saying, “It’s two pages from the textbook, Yang. You’ll live.”

“Dude, it’s not about what the work is! It’s all about the principle.” She swallowed, and Blake closed her book. In the most deadpan tone she could muster, she plainly said, “In the time you’ve been complaining, I’ve finished the reading.”

Yang folded her arms briefly before wrapping them around her lover. “Yeah, but you read for fun all the time.”

“There’s nothing fun about chemistry.” Though Blake didn’t look away from her lunch, she did reach a hand up to caress Yang’s cheek and lean into the hug a bit.

The moment was broken as Jaune looked over his shoulder and muttered, “Oh, fuck, it’s Cardin’s crew.” An auburn-haired boy was strutting over to their table, a cocky half-smile polluting his face (compared to Yang’s smirk, which displayed confidence as opposed to arrogance). A trio of other boys accompanied him, each looking like a Supreme store threw up on them. Blake asked, “Who are they?”

“Cardin Winchester and his friends. The most profound cunts in the entirety of New England,” said Weiss, bitterness palpable in her voice. Having never heard Weiss utter so much as the word “damn” before, Blake realised that there was likely a good reason to dread their presence. Cardin took an empty seat next to Jaune, saying, “Howdy, everybody. Glad to see everyone’s back.”

“What do you want, Cardin?” Jaune questioned exasperatedly.

“Easy, Jauney boy. I’m just welcoming everyone back.” He noticed Blake. “Ah, a new… friend. Your name is?” Fake charm oozed from his tone.

“Blake.”

“Blake! Welcome to Patch, kitty cat.” His cronies snickered as he traced the air where cat ears might have been on his head.

Yang glared at him. “Cardin, I swear to God, if you start with this shit again, I will dislocate your eye sockets and staple your eyelids to your lower back so that you can watch me kick your stupid ass.”

“Easy, blondie.” A nervous chuckle emanated from his lips as he stood up and slowly walked away. Weiss turned back to Blake. “Yang is the only person he’s scared of. This one time, she threatened to throw him in a woodchipper.”

“So?”

“We’re still not sure where she got it, but she did manage to bring a woodchipper to school the next day.”

Yang laughed. “God, the suspension was worth it. You don’t fuck with a chick with a woodchipper.” The faunus rolled her eyes and smiled.

Later that day, Yang laid with her head in Blake’s lap, the chemistry textbook laying closed on the floor. They were on the couch in the blonde’s living room, hands clutched in each others’ hands. Blake was perfectly content as she rubbed the back of her girlfriend’s hand with her thumb, and her heart soared as Yang planted a kiss upon her hand. Running her fingers through her lover’s hair, the faunus sighed happily. Verily, this was the life.

“Penny for your thoughts?” Yang’s purple eyes were half-lidded, her voice and smile soft. Still, this relaxed expression couldn’t dissuade a spike of nervousness from piercing Blake. In actuality, her thoughts as of late were of a rather… salacious nature. Though she had a good feeling that Yang wouldn’t mind knowing that, Adam had always held the noirette’s sexuality over her head, making her feel disgusted by herself every time they slept together. While that was in the past and Yang was significantly more open and accepting than Adam, it would be a lie to say that there was no sense of hesitation when bringing up carnal matters. Taking her hand once more, Blake looked at her girlfriend and opened her mouth to say something, but as she did, Ruby burst through the door, exclaiming, “Yang, I’m home!”

Yang sat up, stretching as she did. “I’ll tell you later,” Blake whispered as she got up to leave.

Later that night, Blake laid in her bed over the covers as Yang texted her. The message read, “what were you gonna tell me earlier?”

To send a text message explaining her feelings would surely be easier than saying it out loud. Hands shaking, she typed, “Truth be told, I’ve been thinking about us and sex.” Almost immediately, a message followed reading, “ooh nice. like, in practice?”

Beginning to feel somewhat less on edge, Blake replied. “I’m not sure. I don’t want to go all the way for a while, if that’s alright.”

“no problem love. how far are you thinking you wanna go?”

“You touched my breast at one point. I wouldn’t mind going a little further with that.”

Yang sent another message almost immediately. “i have an idea. hold on a sec.” As a few minutes passed, Blake let out a sigh of relief. Of course there wouldn’t be a problem with the woman she loved and talking about sex, and she internally chastised herself for worrying that anything else could be the case. Her phone buzzed, and there was no text in the notification, indicating that Yang had sent an image. Her thumb still shaky, she tapped on it, and in the chat was a photograph from the blonde, in which she was completely topless standing in front of a mirror. The hand not taking the picture displayed a peace sign, a smirk on her face. Blake was always aware that Yang was busty (it would be impossible not to notice), but something about actually seeing her girlfriend’s chest out in the open made her entire abdomen flip, warmth spreading throughout her core. Another text appeared, reading, “never took a nude pic before, hope it’s not too bad.”

Heart pounding, Blake replied, “Not at all. You’re really hot ;)”

“you too babe <3.”

An idea struck the faunus. “Do you want me to send you something in return?”

“not if you don’t want to.”

“It’s okay. I definitely want to.” Taking off her shirt and leggings, Blake arranged herself in front of the mirror in her room so that her chest and hips would be visible. Not that she would be revealing anything too lewd, of course. As much as she trusted Yang, she didn’t quite feel ready to reveal all of her body to her just yet. However, she didn’t mind the idea of doing so in the future at all. She sent the picture, and within a minute, a text read, “holy fuck you’re sexy.”

“Not compared to you, I’m not.”

“aw. you’re sweet too. my angel.”

“Same to you, my love.”

“i’m gonna get some sleep. see you tomorrow babe.”

“My parents won’t be home at all tomorrow, so if you want to come over, I’m totally free.”

“i’m down for that ;)”

“Goodnight, darling.” Though there was another school day tomorrow, Blake didn’t immediately go to sleep. Rather, she pulled up the photo of Yang’s tits, reached a hand into her underwear, and began jilling herself. She kept her moans quiet, not wanting to wake her parents. Her toes curled as she rubbed a thumb over her clit. Everything about Yang turned her on, and she hoped that she could do the same for her lover someday.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *SAUCY ALERT*
> 
> By the way, this is my first attempt at writing proper smut, so if there's anything I can do better, please let me know.

The second day of school trudged by at a snail’s pace. The last period, pre-calculus, was particularly arduous on account of Blake being seated on the opposite side of the room as Yang. The two of them had periodically glanced at each others’ eyes throughout the entire hour, and when the bell finally rang, they met each other at the door before heading to the blonde’s car as fast as possible, eager to spend the night together. Once they were free of any prying ears, Yang said, “I’ve been thinking about you all day, dude.”

“Same with you.” Blake’s eyes were closed as she relaxed in the passenger seat. The day had been long, and her girlfriend’s presence was all she needed to allow herself to take in the impending weekend. Only when they pulled into the gravel of her driveway did the faunus open her eyes, and she took Yang’s hand and lead her to her bedroom. She sat down and shook the hair out of her eyes before looking at Blake, who lowered herself next to her. Gently rubbing Blake’s cat ears, Yang said, “I love you,” voice soft and quiet.

“I love you too, babe.” Blake kissed Yang’s neck, golden eyes closing once more as she felt arms wrapping around her. Laying down, they both turned to face one another, holding each other’s faces wordlessly for a few minutes. After leaning forwards to kiss Blake’s forehead, the blonde asked, “So, what did you have in mind for this evening?” As she spoke, she propped her head up on her hand.

Suddenly, Blake was pierced by anxiety. “Is… is it okay if we wait a little bit to do anything sexual?”

“Of course.”

“I’m really sorry, I’m just kind of nervous.”

“Don’t worry about it, Blake. I’m really nervous too, to be honest.” She laughed as she sat up the rest of the way. “There’s this pizza place downtown. I can’t believe I’ve never taken you there, it’s so fuckin’ good.”

Blake stood up and offered her arm. “Shall we?”

Yang kissed her lover’s hand, putting on a posh accent while she rose. “But of course, my dear.”

The pizza place was a comfortable affair, with a cozy wooden interior perfect for two lovers looking for a bite to eat. Blake couldn’t stop laughing throughout the visit, on account of Yang’s abnormal method of eating her slices: crust first. “Laugh all you want,” she said through a bite of crust, “but nobody ever told me this was wrong until, like, middle school. It ain’t my fault.”

“Just swallow your food, babe. I’m not even going to comment on the pizza thing.”

Yang swallowed. “Good.”

“It’s between you and God as far as I’m concerned.” Mirth filled the blonde’s round face as she gazed into Blake’s eyes.

Their next stop was a local ice cream parlor right across the street. No other customers were there, and they sat at one of the benches, bodies pressed together. The leaves were falling off the trees, many of which had already turned to warmer colors than green. Said colors began to blend into the sky as the sun set over the horizon, and a chill fell upon the evening air. Blake shivered, as she had only worn a t-shirt. She heard a zipper, and in a moment, warmth enveloped her as Yang wrapped her in the jacket she had brought. Breathing deeply revealed that the jacket had picked up her girlfriend’s scent, and Blake felt as if she was in heaven, especially as she felt her lover’s arms envelop her from the side.

Immediately upon returning to Blake’s house, the pair began kissing each other passionately, walking to the faunus’ room as they did so. Sitting on the bed, Yang asked, “So, are you ready?”

Keeping her voice low, Blake replied, “As ready as ever, baby,” while sitting next to her. They returned to their kiss, their tongues feverishly entwining around each other until they broke off for air. Looking into Yang’s eyes, the noirette saw a sense of calm anticipation and acceptance shining against lilac irises. She brushed her lips against the blonde’s one final time before reaching a hand underneath her shirt. Yang’s stomach was firm and toned, in sharp contrast to how unbelievably soft her bosom was. Lifting her girlfriend’s shirt off, Blake smirked. “No bra?”

“Figured I wouldn’t need it for tonight.” They both laid down, Yang underneath the faunus. She grinned, asking, “Now, how did you know I was a bottom?”

“Call it a lucky guess.” Blake nuzzled the base of her neck, kissing her collarbone as she did. She began moving lower, her lips ever so slightly brushing against Yang’s skin. It wasn’t until she got to a light pink nipple that she pressed her mouth down again, her tongue dextrously spiraling around it. The blonde gently moaned, and began stroking Blake’s feline ears and hair. Simultaneously, she took her lover’s hand and moved it to her unoccupied breast, and the noirette readily accepted the offer, caressing it and brushing a thumb over her areola.

“Fuck, Blake, that’s nice…”

“Mmm.” She lifted herself up, lips making a popping noise. “They’re so soft, love.”

“They’re all yours, sexy.”

The noirette removed her shirt, prompting Yang to sit up and put a finger on the clasp of her black bra. “Are you comfortable with taking this off?”

Heart pounding, Blake nodded. “Fair warning, they’re not that big.”

Yang removed it, and smiled. “Oh, they’re pretty.” She lowered her head and began sucking on the left nipple, and the faunus threw her head back. She was sitting in her girlfriend’s lap, and she wrapped her legs around her, relishing in the contact. It was as much pleasure as she had ever derived from any kind of stimulation of her tits, and the fact that it was with the love of her life only enhanced her arousal. “Keep going, babe. You’re so good at this.”

As if to further drive in the point, Yang hummed and increased the speed at which her tongue glid across the sensitive skin of Blake’s breast, eliciting a gasp from the girl. Suddenly, Yang jerked herself back, and asked, “Wait, when did you say your parents were getting back?”

“Tomorrow evening. Why do you ask?”

A devilish grin stretched across Yang’s face. “I have one hell of an idea, if you’re interested.”

An hour or so later, the couple sat under one of Blake’s blankets, nestled together like birds in a nest. Each of them held a mug of hot chocolate packed to the brim with marshmallows, and with their free hands, they traced each other’s bodies. Yang’s idea was to spend the entire night in a state of undress, and to this end, neither of them had any clothes on except for panties. As she laid her head onto Yang’s pillowy chest, Blake closed her eyes and reminisced on the night. When she displayed her naked form to Adam, he didn’t even have to say anything for her to feel unclean. But with her new partner? Not only did she feel accepted in her nudity, it felt downright comfortable to show herself to Yang. Blake kissed the blonde’s neck. Finally, sex was something to look forward to, rather than something to begrudgingly accept.


	10. Chapter 10

“Blake? The guidance counselor wants to see you.”

Miss Fall was sitting at her desk, hanging up the phone. Between the long red dress, immaculate black hair, and soft grin, there was no doubt about her attractiveness. Blake wasn’t sure what to think about her. Perhaps that was the brutal nature of the chemistry she taught, but there was certainly a level of fakeness to her demeanor that put the faunus on edge. She walked down the corridors, fiddling with her sweater strings as she did. It was the same jacket that Yang had given her some two months prior, on the same night they first did anything sexual. Wearing it to school was how the general public found out that they were together, and aside from the taunts from Cardin’s posse, nobody really minded.

There was nothing that Blake could imagine that would warrant a trip to the guidance counselor. Perhaps a conflict with her schedule? Yes, that seemed likely. Before she entered Mr. Lionheart’s office, Cardin walked out, a prominent black eye on display. He glared at her before hurrying off. Somewhat confused, she walked into the office, and Yang sat in a chair, expressionless as she had ever been. Even the vibrant yellow of her flannel shirt seemed to be duller than normal, and Blake began panicking. What could have happened? “Hey, dude.” She gave a halfhearted grin, but it was betrayed by the emptiness of her eyes.

“Blake, glad you could make it. Have a seat.” Lionheart gestured to an empty chair besides Yang.

“What’s going on?”

“So, there was a bit of a fight.” The faunus’s heart dropped, and the grey-haired man continued. “Yang’s been suspended, of course, but we were wondering if you could provide some insight on the events preceding it.”

“How? I wasn’t there.”

“Well, does a racist diatribe seem out of character for Cardin Winchester?” All of a sudden, all of the pieces fell into place. A moment went by before she truthfully answered, “No, I suppose not.”

“I see.” The bell rang, indicating the end of the day. “You’re both free to go, I suppose. By the way, I’ve notified your parents, Yang. Have a nice weekend!”

They silently walked to the car, and once they were seated, Yang immediately looked up at the ceiling, swallowing hard. Blake reached over, rubbing small circles into her girlfriend’s back. God, she just wanted her to be okay. “Yang…”

“I’m so sorry, Blake.” The blonde was whispering, her voice shaky.

“Is there anything else wrong? Besides Cardin being an asshole?”

Yang nodded, pulling out of the parking lot. “Yeah. My mom got out of prison yesterday.” She laughed, anger building in her voice. “I know that’s not an excuse for what I did, but it sucks to know that she’s out there, y’know? I never want to see her again. And I’ve barely been holding it together all day, and when Cardin came up and made a bestiality joke about us, I just… snapped. I don’t even remember it, which scares the hell out of me.”

“You don’t scare me, Yang.”

“Maybe I should.” She sniffled. “I’ve got to go home alone. See you later, Blake.”

“Goodbye, hon.” The noirette reached over and pulled her lover into a tight hug, which she tearfully reciprocated. “It’s all going to be okay, darling.”

Yang didn’t answer, but eventually she broke the hug. Blake spent the rest of the afternoon and evening in her room, listening to soft music as she tried her best not to worry too much. She sent a text to Yang reading, “Hey, how are you holding up?” However, there was no reply. At about seven, Kali entered her daughter’s room. She said, “I heard about what happened today.”

Taking out her earbuds, Blake asked, “With Yang?”

Kali nodded. “Look, I don’t mean to imply anything here, but wasn’t Adam violent with others before he became violent with you?”

The teenager furrowed her brow. “That was different. He looked for fights. He started them for fun. Yang just got caught in a bad situation.”

“That doesn’t necessarily mean anything when this was her reaction to aggression.”

“You don’t know what she’s going through.” Blake’s voice was kept low, even as her frustration rose.

“The same point applies. Blake, I don’t think you should see Yang anymore.”

“Because you think she’s like Adam?” Tears formed in the corners of her eyes.

“Because she’s doing the same things Adam did.”

“She’s not! I’m telling you, Yang’s nothing like him. You said it yourself, remember?”

“It’s starting to look like I was wrong, honey.”

Blake swiftly passed by her mother, hands deep in her sweater pockets. She walked out the front door, thumb playing with the ring Yang gave her. Everything the blonde beauty and her had done together played in her mind as she pointedly walked up towards the mountains. She had never been this angry at her mother before, and she couldn’t help but feel guilty over the way she had talked to her. Looking at her phone, Kali had texted her, saying, “Come home whenever you like, but don’t meet up with Yang. I love you, dear.” Blake didn’t have the heart to respond.

She didn’t stop until she reached the point in the mountains where she had her first date with Yang. She rested against a tree, sliding down until she sat on the cold ground. Looking around brought back memories of the first time they cuddled, the first time her girlfriend touched her ears, and the first time they kissed each other’s cheeks. It was painful to recall, knowing that a wrench had been thrown into everything. Her phone buzzed. This time, it was Yang’s reply to the message she sent earlier. “idk anymore.”

Blake texted her, “Just remember that I love you, babe. I’m right here for as long as you need me.”

No reply. Hugging her knees, the faunus began to silently cry, jacket pulled up over her face. After a few minutes, a voice called out.

“Hello?”

It was Yang. Blake looked up, tears still running down her face. The blonde spoke up again, asking, “Blake? What’s wrong, angel?” She quickly went over and embraced the noirette.

“Forget about me. Are you feeling any better?”

“I’m not sure. My dad and the school referred me to a therapist.”

“That’s good.” Blake lifted her head enough to lean on Yang’s shoulder.

“I guess. I’m really scared about it.”

“I’ll be here for you every step of the way.”

Yang swallowed. “I’m really sorry, Blake. I know Adam was really violent, and I get it if you’re worried about that now.”

“Yang.” Blake took her lover’s face, and looked into her eyes. “I’m not scared of you at all. And don’t compare yourself to Adam. I mean, I thought I was going to live the rest of my life isolated and in pain because of what he did to me. It’s only thanks to you that I’m able to live my life now, and I’ll never let you forget that, darling.” She kissed Yang’s lips with the delicacy of a hummingbird.

Now more calm, the blonde asked, “Are you okay? You were crying pretty hard…” She rubbed Blake’s back.

“I don’t know, Yang. My mom doesn’t want me to see you anymore.”

“Oh.” A pause permeated the night air. “Are you going to listen to her?”

“No, of course not! I’ll do whatever it takes to be with you. And she’s wrong, to think that you’d hurt me.”

Yang stayed quiet for a moment, before murmuring, “I’m so tired of all this, Blake. I just want to move away and leave my past behind, and take you with me so we can live in peace.” Another pause went by. “Oh, damn it. I shouldn’t have said anything like that. I’m such a fucking mess.”

Blake snuggled in, arranging herself so that she was listening to her girlfriend’s heartbeat. As she did, she whispered, “Aw, Yang. I’d love nothing more than that.” She felt her cat ears being rubbed, prompting her to close her eyes and smile. “We could fall asleep together every night.”

“What I wouldn’t give to wake up and see your cute face every morning.” Crickets began chirping, and Yang spoke up again. “How are you going to explain where you were to your mom?”

“I’ll worry about that later. Maybe your dad can talk to her about it?”

“That could work out.” Eyes still closed, Blake allowed herself to bask in her lover’s warmth. Even if today was shitty, tomorrow would be better. At the very least, she hoped so, more for Yang’s sake than her own.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Steamy chapter ahead, but it'll be the last steamy chapter for a little bit.

Blake woke up at about nine in the morning, groggy as could be. Slowly, the events of the previous day came back to her, and she sighed as she stretched her back. Birds chirped outside. Surely, a good night’s sleep would be more conducive to finding a resolution with her parents. As she dragged herself out of her room, the sounds of laughter emanated from the kitchen. Curious, she walked over, still dressed in Yang’s jacket and a pair of flannel pajama pants. Before entering the room, she listened for a moment. “And I get this text from him that says, ‘Marriage is a scam, never marry anyone less than two millionaire.’ Like, what the hell?” That was Yang’s voice.

Keeping an ear out to gauge who she was talking to, Blake heard, “Don’t get me wrong, I love my uncle, but how do you type ‘two millionaire’ and not think, ‘Man, I am the dumbest (at this point, both Kali and Ghira could be heard laughing) person in New Hampshire?”

Kali poked her head out, a smile on her round face. “Morning, Blake. Can you come here, please?”

Yang was sitting at the kitchen table, across from the Belladonna parents. She said, “Hey, dude. Nice jacket.”

“Thanks, I got it off of this really cool girl I know.”

Kali spoke up abruptly. “So, Yang told us about everything going on.”

An elbow casually propped up on the back of her chair, Yang said, “That includes the stuff with my mom, by the way.”

“Oh.” Blake still wasn’t completely sure about what to make of the current scene. It appeared that Yang was fine, but the faunus knew that it was still worth checking in with her later. And her mom… Was she really okay, having been forced by circumstance to reveal her darkest secret? Ghira spoke up, his deep voice rumbling about the room. “Bottom line is, Blake…” He paused, choosing his next words carefully. “We’re still skeptical, but it’s clear that the circumstances are very different here than they were with Adam. And between you and me…” He lowered his voice. “That Cardin boy had it coming.” Kali glared at her husband, who quickly added, “You didn’t hear that from me, though.”

Yang’s trademark smirk had returned to her face, putting Blake at ease. She stood up, saying, “I’m gonna get dressed. See you later, Yang?”

“Oh, for sure.”

They spent the afternoon in the downtown area of Patch, hand in hand. It was a frigid November day, and what few leaves were left on the trees were a deep brown shade. They drifted in and out of small stores on Main Street, talking and laughing as they went along, occasionally stopping for food and drinks. As the people cleared out, Blake, feeling affectionate, wrapped both of her arms around Yang’s right arm as they walked, slowly rubbing her hand up and down the toned limb. Though both of them already wore coats, nothing brought as much warmth as the contact. “C’mon, let’s go back to my place,” said Blake, her breath hanging in the freezing air. They went back to Yang’s car, and as they drove, the noirette asked, “Are you feeling better?”

Without any sadness in her tone, the blonde responded, “Yeah, a lot better, actually. Still scared shitless of therapy, though.”

“I understand. I’m really sorry if my parents made you uncomfortable or anything.”

“It’s okay. They’re really cool, so I don’t mind telling them about what happened.” She reached over and took her girlfriend’s hand. “And I’ve got you, don’t I?”

“Of course.” Blake’s fingers had gone numb from the cold, and it was refreshing to feel the sensation of touch return to them, especially with such a heavenly touch.

“Then I’m gonna be okay.” The faunus absentmindedly rubbed her lover’s hand. She couldn’t have imagined this series of events going so well, with her parents coming back around to Yang (however tentatively) and the blonde professing that she was in an easy state of mind for the time being. Squeezing her hand, Blake hoped that Yang knew that if anything changed, she would still have a shoulder to cry on and a source of support.

The couple got back to the Belladonna household, to find the house empty. A note explained that Kali and Ghira had a landscaping client in Maine, and that they wouldn’t be back until around midnight. Immediately, Yang looked at the clock and said, “Okay, we’ve got the house for seven hours. What’s on the bill for today?”

“Anything you want, darling.” Blake adopted a huskier voice for this statement, and Yang slowly grinned. In the two months since school started, they had very few opportunities to engage in sexual activities. They did, however, frequently send provocative photos to one another in the night, and both were well aware of each other’s penchants for masturbating to them. And being alone on a weekend with access to a bed? What better way to relieve the tension of the past day or two than to have some risque fun?

Yang picked Blake up, and carried her to her room in bridal style. Leaning her head against the blonde’s shoulder, she closed her eyes. Easily the best part of their more intimate moments was that no matter how caught up in the intensity they got, there was a constant two-way stream of praise. Hell, it had become so ingrained in their sexuality that the idea of forgoing it bordered on a turn-off for Blake.

The only thing that really worried her was Yang’s status as a bottom. It wasn’t that the faunus disliked being on top, but she hated the idea of being a dom. Even for pleasure’s sake, the idea of hurting her girlfriend sickened her. This was hardly a prominent concern, though, especially as the blonde unzipped her coat with her teeth, her bushy hair disappearing from Blake’s field of view. The noirette sat down on her bed, beckoning for Yang to follow her with a single finger.

The pair kissed passionately, with all the vigor of dragon’s fire. As they did, they shed their coats, and only broke their tongues apart to remove each other’s shirts and pants. Yang laid down, and Blake immediately began hovering over, gently nibbling on her ear and slipping off her bra. “Kinky tonight, are we?” asked the topless girl.

“You might say that,” whispered her partner, lips brushing against her neck.

“Oh, how I love you,” moaned Yang as she slid a hand into her panties, prompting Blake to sit up and watch as her lover fingered herself. Through all of their escapades, neither had actually done anything with their nether regions in front of each other. Face flushing, the amber-eyed girl bit her lip and said, “Fuck, that’s hot. Sit up and keep going. I’ve got an idea.”

She stood up, stretching her arms over her head while walking to the other side of the room, taking care to sway her hips in a slightly more pronounced fashion. They were naturally wide, and Yang made no secret of her fondness of that particular trait. In fact, it wasn’t uncommon for her to grab the faunus’s ass when the two of them weren’t being watched, which was downright thrilling to do in public. When she turned around, Yang was completely nude, and wet noises were filling the room. “How’s it going, babe?” Blake kept her tone low and soft, and began pulling one of her bra straps down her arm.

“Ah, pretty good, hon.” Her jaw was slack, and she moved her free hand to her nipple.

“Let me help you with that.” She painstakingly undressed herself fully, keeping her eyes on Yang the whole time, who sped her fingers up as her moans got louder. The noirette climbed back onto the bed, slowly making her way up to meet her girlfriend’s gaze, leaving a trail of kisses along her leg, abs, breasts, and neck before arriving at her full lips. Heading back down to her collarbone, Blake once again left a small series of gentle bites on the base of her neck while she reached a hand down to Yang’s soaked folds. The blonde pulled her fingers out, resigning herself to rub her clit while her partner took over. “Holy fuck, babe, you’re so wet,” whispered Blake.

“That’s all thanks to you-ah, I’m cumming!” She grabbed her lover’s back, holding her tight as her walls contracted around her fingers, squirting as she closed her violet eyes. Blake straightened herself up, sucking on the fingers that had just elicited an orgasm. Her legs were spread around her girlfriend’s waist, pussy against belly button (tantalizingly, when she got up, there was a shiny spot on Yang’s midriff). Looking around, Yang shook the golden hair out of her eyes and said, “Oh, fuck. I should have warned you.”

“About what?”

“First of all, I cum really fast. Second of all, I squirt when I cum.”

Blake laughed. “Joke’s on you, sexy. I’m into both of those things.”

A few minutes later, both of them were in fluffy bathrobes, bedsheets in the washing machine while they relaxed on the couch. Some shitty reality show played quietly in the background, while Yang sat with Blake’s head resting on her shoulder. The plan was to rest for a little while, and then for Yang to return the favor (so to speak). Never had Blake been so relaxed in all her life, with her cat ears being lovingly caressed by her partner while she herself ran her fingers through wavy yellow hair. She sighed happily, and the lavender-eyed girl’s round face glowed as she smiled, dimples penetrating her cheeks. “Hey, Blake?”

“Mhm?”

“Can we talk about therapy for a second?”

“Yeah, of course. Is anything wrong?”

“Not exactly. I’m just wondering, do you think it’d be possible for you to come with me, just for the first meeting? It’s Thursday at four.” She paused. “I don’t think I can do it alone.” Her voice was small, a far cry from her typical boisterousness.

Somewhat taken aback, Blake nuzzled Yang’s neck before answering. “Sure thing, my love. You should know by now that I’ll do anything to help you.”

“And the same goes for you.” Yang planted a kiss on her girlfriend’s head. Life went on, it seemed. Even with the looming anxiety that Thursday promised, Blake couldn’t help but be proud of her significant other. Not only was she taking steps to help herself with a problem, she took steps to make the process of self-help easier. She wrapped her arms around the faunus, who snuggled in closer. Yang’s arms were home to her now, and yesterday's conversation about finding a way to live together reverberated throughout her mind the rest of the night.


	12. Chapter 12

Blake walked into the Xiao Long house’s living room, where the two sisters of the home sat on opposite ends of the couch. “What was that attack? It looked like bullshit…” Yang said, through a soft chuckle.

“It was, dude.” Ruby’s face was in her hands as the words “YOU DIED” faded onto the television screen. She rolled up her crimson hoodie sleeves, and picked her controller back up, apparently with enough resolve to try again. The faunus called out, “Hey, how’s it going?”

Yang turned over, smiling brightly. “Hey, Blake. She’s been stuck on the same boss for two full hours.”

Ruby groaned. “This is the first time I’ve hated a part of this game. Bloodborne, by the way.”

Blake had never heard of it, but she sat down in Yang’s lap anyway, joining her in watching the silver-eyed girl’s suffering. The enemy in question was some sort of gigantic flaming monster resembling a wendigo, being fought in a chapel. Ruby’s avatar wielded a scythe, and spent most of the time dashing around the swings of the beast’s arms. Yang’s pulse was quick, and Blake already knew why. Today was the first day of her therapy sessions, which they would have to leave for in some fifteen minutes. Even though she passed sarcastic remarks back and forth with her sister, her quickened heart and tense shoulders betrayed the casual demeanor. In the hopes that it would help, Blake took Yang’s hand, moving it slowly to her pitch-black locks. The blonde ran her fingers through, her muscles relaxing as she wrapped her other arm around her lover’s waist.

In the waiting room, Yang rocked back and forth, her leg shaking furiously and her eyes darting around the room. The door opened, she jumped in her seat, and a kind-eyed old woman called for someone else. Blake kept an arm around her girlfriend’s nervous back, thumb digging small circles into her shoulder. Yang whispered, “You’re still coming with me, right?”

“Of course, babe.” They planted pecks on each other’s cheeks, and when they turned back, the door was open once more, and a grey-haired man with a green scarf stood there, a cane in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. In a perfectly even tone, he asked, “Yang?”

She stood up, hands shaking as she asked, “Is it okay if she comes with us?”

“I don’t see why not.” His expression remained unchanged, and he led them down a hallway, stopping at a doorway labeled 109. He sat at a desk, his computer open to his email account. Blake sat in an armchair to the side, and Yang took a circle chair next to her. Once situated, he said, “Hello, I’m Dr. Ozpin. A pleasure to meet you both.”

“Hey, I’m Yang Xiao Long. Nice to meet you, too.”

“Blake Belladonna. She’s my better half.” At this, Yang smiled and exaggeratedly waved her hand in mock dismissiveness.

“I see. And if you don’t mind me asking, Yang, why did you request that she join us?” Ozpin sipped from his mug, making a note with his other hand.

Yang took a deep breath and closed her eyes. “Okay, so, there’s a lot to go through, and most of it comes back to my bitch of a mother. And having her here helps a lot with getting it out there, y’know? ‘Cause no offense, but I don’t know you that well.” Blake noticed that as her lover talked, her voice took on the distinct pronunciations of a Boston accent. Perhaps a symptom of nerves?

“None taken. Your mother?”

“Yeah, my mother. My biological mother, anyways.” Yang retold the story of her mother, Raven Branwen, and all of the abuse she put her daughter, a mere toddler, through. Ozpin dutifully took notes throughout the tale, occasionally asking simple questions. New to Blake, though, was the tale of Ruby’s mother, Summer Rose. By the time Yang was back in her father’s custody, he had remarried, and was expecting another daughter. And though their family was a happy one, it would not last, as Summer died of pancreatic cancer only five years later. After that, the rest of the story was events that Blake had been present for (such as falling in love and the fight with Cardin). Ozpin, pushing up his wire-rimmed spectacles, said, “It’s very interesting that you bring up Blake as an important note in your life.”  
“I mean, I do love her (at this, she took hold of her girlfriend’s hand). And she’s part of the context for the fight that got me here.”

“Oh, yes, I remember the report. So, you were referred here for anger problems?”

Yang shrugged. “I think so.”

Ozpin scribbled something on his notepad. “I also saw that on your sheet, anxiety and panic attacks were mentioned?”

Looking at her feet, the blonde nodded. Continuing, the doctor asked, “When was the last one?”

“A few months ago. That one didn’t last very long, though.”

“I see. And what do you think caused the disparity in time?”

Yang smirked and looked at Blake, moving her arm closer. “I’ve got a pretty good idea about what it was. This cutie was with me the whole time.”

Ozpin adjusted himself in his chair. “Ah, excellent. You’ve found a way to deal with it. That’s actually a fairly large portion of my job done, you see.” He chuckled. “That said, it’s still worth discussing potential strategies for if you (he gestured to Blake) aren’t there for her, and making sure that we’ve got a full understanding of the root of the problem.” Glancing at the clock, he handed a form to Yang. “We’re nearly out of time. Very quickly, can you sign here? It’s the treatment plan.”

The blonde signed quickly before standing up. As she did, Blake caught a glimpse of Yang’s birthday: November 21st, a mere eight days from today. After shaking Ozpin’s hand and bidding him farewell, they walked out to the car, and immediately, the faunus asked her lover, “So, how was that?”

“Honestly, I expected it to be worse.” Yang’s voice was finally jovial again, and the dimples had returned her cheeks as the shine returned to her lilac eyes. Blake continued, relieved as could be. “I didn’t know about Ruby’s mom.”

“Hm? Oh, yeah, I guess I forgot to tell you about her. Sorry about that, hon.”

“Don’t worry about it.” A moment passed, and they stopped at a red light. “Also, your birthday is really close.”

“Yeah, I guess it is.”

“I might have an idea of what to get you.” Blake smirked, a hint of a tease in her tone.

“Ooh, don’t tell me. I like a good surprise.”

That night, Blake browsed various sites for over an hour, making sure that everything she had in mind was possible, and that she could find suitable ways to make her ideas a reality. There were two parts to the gift that she had planned, both of which could, in theory, last a lifetime. Eventually, she found exactly what she was looking for, and at a reasonable price to boot. Hopefully, they would be sufficient, and Yang’s birthday would be as wonderful as it could be.


End file.
